The two-year wait is over — almost
Apple Intelligence has finally cleared China’s regulatory hurdle. The country’s Cyberspace Administration has registered the AI suite for use on iPhones, ending a nearly two-year standoff that kept the feature out of the world’s largest smartphone market.
The approval doesn’t mean you can flip the switch today. Apple and regulators still need to set a launch date. But the main obstacle is gone, and that’s a big deal for Apple’s fortunes in China.
It’s been a long road. Apple introduced Apple Intelligence in June 2024, and mainland China users have been watching from the sidelines ever since.
Alibaba and Baidu step up as AI partners
Apple isn’t going it alone. Two of China’s biggest AI players are now officially on board.
Alibaba confirmed that its Qwen model will power Apple Intelligence experiences across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS for users in China. Qwen handles text understanding, image recognition, and content generation directly inside Apple’s operating systems.
Baidu also confirmed it’s working with Apple on features for Chinese iPhone users. What’s less clear is how the workload splits between the two companies. Each model’s exact role remains undefined.
There’s another wrinkle. The approval only covers iPhones. Chinese iPads, Macs, and Vision Pro headsets are still waiting — the two-year AI drought is only partially over.
Why two partners instead of one?
Apple rarely relies on a single vendor for critical technology, and China’s regulatory environment makes diversification smart. Alibaba brings strong consumer AI chops with Qwen, while Baidu has deep experience in search and language models.
Having two partners also hedges against any single point of failure — a practical concern given the geopolitical sensitivity around AI in China.
What this means for Chinese iPhone users
Apple’s support documentation says compatible devices already sold in China should activate the service once it officially launches. That’s good news for anyone who bought an iPhone in the last couple of years expecting AI features that never arrived.
The prolonged absence put Apple at a real disadvantage. Huawei, Xiaomi, and other domestic manufacturers have been shipping generative AI on their phones for a while now. Apple was losing ground on a feature that’s become table stakes in the premium segment.
Apple and Alibaba actually submitted features for review back in early 2025. The process stalled — a casualty of the broader geopolitical tensions between China and the United States. Now that the logjam has broken, expect a rapid rollout.
The bigger picture for Apple in China
China remains a critical market for Apple, but it’s been a rough stretch. Local competitors are aggressive, and the government has shown it can hold up foreign tech when it wants to.
This approval signals a thaw — at least when it comes to AI. Apple’s partnership with Alibaba and Baidu also keeps it aligned with Beijing’s preferences: working with domestic firms rather than imposing US-centric AI models.
For iPhone owners in China, the wait is nearly over. For Apple, it’s a chance to reclaim momentum in a market where it can’t afford to fall further behind.
Want to catch up on how Apple Intelligence works elsewhere? Check out our guide on Apple Intelligence features explained and the latest on iPhone AI rollout news.
